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Key West, FL -
An estimated 150 white-bearded, stocky men resembling Ernest Hemingway will compete for the title of "Papa" during the annual Hemingway Days Festival, Key West's summer celebration of its most famous literary resident.
Sloppy Joe's Hemingway Look-Alike Contest begins July 23-26, at the Duval Street bar that Hemingway favored when he wasn't penning prose that changed the face of American literature. A highlight of the Hemingway Days celebration, the look-alike contest debuted in 1981 at Sloppy Joe's and has since grown to attract an annual field of national and international entrants.
They typically compete wearing safari gear or wool fishermen's turtlenecks, apparel identified with the author who lived and wrote in Key West throughout the 1930s, and attempt to emulate the "Papa" persona adopted by the author in his later years.
The contest is judged by the bearded brotherhood of former winners, including the 2004 winner, "Papa" John Stubbings of Kill Devil Hills, N.C. The 60-something real estate company owner won the competition on his eighth attempt -- a victory he credits to longevity and attitude.
Stubbings triumphed over 135 other prospective "Papas" who arrived from all over the United States and several other countries to compete. International contestants in 2004 included Vladimir Malikov of Almaty, Kazakhstan, who sold personal property to achieve his dream of traveling to the U.S. to compete and quickly became an audience favorite.
Look-alikes also take center stage at Sloppy Joe's "Running of the Bulls," a spoof of the renowned annual event in Pamplona, Spain. Featuring mock bulls indigenous to the island city, it's known more for silliness than sporting challenge, but draws large crowds nevertheless.
On a more serious note, the Hemingway Look-Alike Society, consisting of contest winners and hopefuls, hosts a Friday remembrance for the late Kermit "Shine" Forbes, Ernest Hemingway's former Key West sparring partner and a longtime participant in Hemingway Days. A resident of the island's Bahama Village, Forbes was known for his integrity, storytelling skills and easygoing grin.
Just before Saturday night's look-alike finals at Sloppy Joe's, the society awards a number of scholarships to Florida Keys students interested in writing, journalism and nursing. Since the scholarship program's inception in 2000, 39 grants have been presented, with amounts averaging $1,000 per student. The annual program is coordinated by scholarship committee chair Bill Young, the 1984 contest winner, and funded by contributions from "Papas" and their supporters.
For information about Sloppy Joe's Hemingway Look-Alike Contest and other look-alike events, visit sloppyjoes.com. For a complete Hemingway Days schedule, visit hemingwaydays.net. 
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